FOPFC – April 2016 News Update

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April 2016 News Update

Pope Farm Tapestry 2016

Crop Rotation creates a different kaleidoscope of colors every year

The seven different prairies change each year depending on the species, the maturity of the prairie,

and the growing season. The rotations of 5 different crops within the Conservancy contribute to a

different look and feel every year. When you combine this with changing site lines during the growing

season, you have an ever changing kaleidoscope of colors and textures spring, summer, and fall.

This year will look familiar, yet different. The sunflower field will move to the west side of the

Conservancy to a field where Sunflowers have never been grown. As you approach the Sunflowers

from the east, we are hoping you will see a rising hill of sunflowers, and capture all 500,000 blooms

peaking over each other as you look up the hillside.

As you walk down through the center of the Conservancy through the prairies, you will look down at

a beautiful field of winter wheat that will create a sharp contrast to the different hues of green in the

background. Something else will be a bit unusual in the crop rotation at the Conservancy. At the top

of the hill, oats will be planted. As you walk between the corn and the oats, you will feel a wall of

green on one side and a golden carpet of Oats on the other. On the south side of the oat field you

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will be able to see over the oat field and perhaps catch a distant glimpse of the water tower in Dane,

WI. When you are in the picnic area at the top to the hill, you will be able to look across the dark

green Soybeans will lay in the valley to the west.

This field (shown above) will be Winter Wheat in 2016.

Photo by Jack Sherman

This is the crop rotation, and like every other year it will create change. With a very light twist of the

kaleidoscope, the colors and textures of the land will change and form another beautiful tapestry at

Pope Farm Conservancy in 2016.

Thank you, Dane County Environmental Council!

This month, we are pleased to announce that the FOPFC will receive a grant from the Dane County

Environmental Council for $1,920. These funds will go toward the burning contract and for back pack

sprayers. The FOPFC will supplement the grant in the form of $4,618 FOPFC funds and 250 hours

of volunteer time (worth $2,652) to manage restoration of native prairies totaling 13 acres in

Middleton Township’s Pope Farm Conservancy (PFC). A huge THANKS to Dennis Schenborn for

working on this successful grant application.

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Archaeology Tour

Wednesday, May 18th, 6:30 – 8:00 pm

Host: Dr. Amy Rosebrough of the WI State Historical Society

Join Dr. Rosebrough on an archaeological walking tour of sites in Pope

Farm Conservancy and discuss American Indian life in and near Pope

Farm. She will show us how they made tools out of stones and provide a

fascinating overview of how land usage has changed. This tour is free and

open to the public. No registration is necessary. Hope to see you there!

Spring Members Picnic

Sunday, May 22, 2016 (1:00-3:00 pm)

The FOPFC Spring Picnic will feature the “Surly Surveyor” who will reenact a look at the pre-

settlement landscape of the Town of Middleton and the Pope Farm area through the eyes of John

Mullett, Deputy Surveyor for the U.S. General Land Office, 1833. This program is highly acclaimed,

entertaining, and it will be a special treat for the FOPFC membership. Last year the Surly Surveyor

began to kick us off the land but we were saved by a rain storm. He literally took a “rain check” and

is back with his unique presentation.

Bring your family and friends and join us for a picnic on top of the hill at Pope Farm

Conservancy. No RSVP necessary. Please bring a dish to pass. We will provide the

beverages, plates & utensils.

This is an exciting event NOT to be missed. So, mark your calendars for Sunday, May 22, 1-3pm.

We hope you can join us!

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2016 Events Announced

One of the purposes of the FOPFC is to enhance the educational opportunities at Pope Farm

Conservancy (PFC). The FOPFC has now increased the educational tours to nine in 2016, and of

course, Sunflower Days will be HUGE! Thanks to the Events Committee for their hard work in

organizing these talks/tours and lining up local experts to teach the public about different features

within the Conservancy. We are very excited to announce this season’s line-up of events … So,

mark your calendars!

2016 Tour/Talks

May 18, Wed. (6:30 – 8:00 pm) – Archaeology Tour with Amy Rosebrough

June 25, Sat. (7:00 – 8:30 am) – Prairie and Savanna Birding Tour with Mike McDowell

June 28, Tue. (6:30 – 8:00 pm) – Bees and Pollinators Talk with Jeremy Hemberger

July 7, Thur. (6:30 – 8:00 pm) – PFC Prairies and Savanna Tour with Mike Anderson

July 21, Thur. (6:30-8:00 pm) – Geology Tour & Glaciers at PFC with Eric Carson

Aug 9 , Tue. (6:30-8:00 pm) – Pope Farm Conservancy Annual Tour with Mel Pope

Sept 1, Thur. (6:00 – 7:30 pm) – Native American Garden Talk with Amy Rosebrough

Sept 13, Tue. (5:00 – 6:30 pm) – Erosion, Soils, and CCC Talk with Nick Balster

Sept. 24, Sat. (7:30 – 9:00 am) – Migratory Birding Tour with Mike McDowell

Special Events

May 22, Sun. (1:00-3:00 pm) – Members Picnic with Surly Surveyor

July 4, Mon. (after sunset) – Volunteer Social & Fireworks Viewing

July 24 – 28* – Sunflower Days Ambassador Training

July 30 – Aug 7* – Sunflower Days

Sept 11, Sun. (1:00-3:00 pm) – Members Picnic

More info about each tour/talk can be found on our website: https://www.popefarmconservancy.org/events/ The Events Committee needs YOU: The Events committee could still use your help, as we begin planning for the Members Picnic and Sunflower Days!!

Events Committee Meeting

Thursday, May 19th at 6:30pm, Town of Middleton Hall

We welcome all members to join us for the next FOPFC Events Committee on May 19th at 6:30pm

at the Town of Middleton Hall. The Events Committee has already planned the tours & talks for the

summer, and now we are turning our attention to the Members Picnic and Sunflower Days! We

would love to have you come and join in the planning. We always have an enjoyable time giving

back and helping to promote the Conservancy.

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Education Committee Meeting

Thursday, April 21st at 6:30pm, Town of Middleton Hall

You are invited to attend the next FOPFC Education Committee meeting. You can just listen or be a

part of this great group of people as we work on ideas on how to teach the public about the land.

Self-Guided Tours: We completed the initial assemble of the self-guided tours on the following

topics: Geology, Native American Life, The Prairies at PFC, and Our Farming Heritage.

Seeking Volunteers: We are seeking volunteers who would like to:

Help develop and write up additional tours

Learn about PFC and lead community groups

Assist with technology and documenting our local stories

And more...You can help as little or as much as you desire!

Seeking Volunteers for Sunflower Days

Though summer may seem like a long way

off, the sunflowers will be planted and in

bloom before we know it. The Events

Committee has started planning for Sunflower

Days, and we're looking to line up volunteers

who can help us with a variety of tasks during

the week of peak sunflower bloom. This

volunteer effort is enjoyable, fun, and exciting,

AND it's very important to the success of this

event. No experience is necessary - we will

train you.

If you are available and willing to help us with

any of the following jobs, please email info@popefarmconservancy.org.

Assist at the retail table (selling t-shirts, photo tiles, and other merchandise)

Assist at the information both, and answer questions from the public -

We will help you with this

Help supervise the parking - We could use your help, even if it is only for a couple hours.

Help direct people to the Sunflower field

Help with set up and tear down the signage

Help sell water

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Prairie Restoration Burn at PFC

Photo: Michael P Anderson The two prairies in PFC that are managed by the FOPFC for the Town of Middleton were burned in

March. We took advantage of the warm weather and were successful with an early burn. Another

burn should occur in April.

Question of the Month

What is the status of Adopt-a-Plant?

Response to “Adopt-a-Plant” has been excellent! Donations received from our membership have

allowed us to purchase over 200 plants! They will be delivered the first week of June and

transplanted into the savanna restoration shortly thereafter. Any future donations will be used to

purchase more woodland flowering plants for an early October planting. Using plants in a

restoration, as an alternative to broadcasting seed, is more expensive. However, for those species

that are difficult to become established from seed, it makes sense to use plants.

Thanks to those who contributed to this project! As planting time approaches, we will contact you

and offer the opportunity to help transplant these young plants, if interested.

Additional Donations: If you would like to contribute to this project, please send a check (payable to

"FOPFC - Adopt a Plant") and mail to FOPFC – Adopt a Plant, 10333 Blackhawk Road, Middleton,

WI 53562. - OR - Click Here to make an online donation using your credit card or PayPal account.

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Friend of the Month

Thank you, Beth Rahko!

Beth Rahko is the treasurer of the FOPFC, and she will be completing her term next month. Beth

has been a joy to work with as she takes the minutes and distributes them along with all the

attachments to the board every month. We will miss her energy and enthusiasm, and she has

promised us she will still be around to help out on occasion. In addition to her board position, Beth is

a supervisor for the FOPFC Prairie Restoration Committee, and helps in that capacity during seed

collection. Beth has also volunteered as a Goodwill Ambassador for Sunflower Days, helped with

Heritage Day, and attends most of the tours/talks at PFC. Beth Rahko has worked hard for the

Friends of Pope Farm Conservancy, and has truly made a difference.

And a happy field of Sunflowers to you, Beth!

Photos of the Month

Thank you, Bill Fenske!

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Bill Fenske has taken hundreds, if not thousands, of photos at Pope Farm Conservancy. He recently

moved out of state, but we want to thank him for sharing his wonderful photographs with us over the

past few years! More of Bill's photos can be found on our Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/groups/fopfc-photos/

We invite you to share your beautiful photos (past or present) of Pope Farm Conservancy on

our Facebook or Flickr pages.

Renew Your Membership

Just a reminder...you can now renew your membership securely online using a debit or credit card.

Click on the button to the right or go to https://www.popefarmconservancy.org/membership/ to renew

your membership today! If you have already renewed your membership, THANK YOU! As a member

of FOPFC, you will continue to receive monthly updates on the Conservancy, bi-annual newsletters,

notification of education tours and special events, and invitations to help us in our volunteer efforts.

Memberships are good for one (1) calendar year from the last date of your previous

membership. We hope you enjoy being a part of our community.

Thank you for joining the Friends of Pope Farm Conservancy!